PITTSBURGH, PA (March 17, 2017) The Peduto Administration is pleased to announce that Col. Bernard Lindstrom has extended his engagement as Acting Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority.

Col. Lindstrom's job extension allows for continuity of leadership at the PWSA while a blue-ribbon advisory panel appointed by Mayor William Peduto is studying next steps for authority operations. The panel's first task is to evaluate Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to hire an outside advisory team of professionals to help the City and PSWA solve systematic problems challenging the authority, from lead levels in water to its crumbling infrastructure.

To ensure transparency, final interviews by the panel of the RFP finalists will be held in public in coming weeks.

Col. Lindstrom began his tenure at PWSA in September after a distinguished military career, and retiring as the former commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District.

"On behalf of the residents of the City, we thank Col. Lindstrom for his continued service and for allowing the PWSA to keep benefiting from his expertise in this time of transition at the authority," Mayor Peduto said.

The continuation of Col. Lindstrom's stewardship at the PWSA promotes stability at the authority while a search follows to permanently hire a new Executive Director and Deputy Director. That search will also be aided by the Advisory Panel with assistance from the consultancy firm to be selected soon. The jobs will soon be publicly posted.

Col. Lindstrom will be paid up to $225,000 annually, and is contracted through March 13, 2019. Should a new director be chosen before then the contract with Col. Lindstrom can be terminated with 30 days notice.